Safe and affordable nuclear energy for all

Statement by Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Morocco, Mongolia, Netherlands, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Republic of Korea, Rwanda, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkiye, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Vietnam: 

1.    We, the countries operating nuclear power plants, or expanding or embarking on or exploring the option of nuclear energy, and the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), gathered in Paris for the 2nd Nuclear Energy Summit to reaffirm our strong commitment to nuclear energy as a strategic asset to meet the increasing global demand for electricity, as well as a key component of our global strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from both power and industrial sectors, to ensure energy security and diversification and promote long-term sustainable development and clean, just and equitable energy transition and diversification. 

2.    We reaffirm that nuclear energy constitutes a safe, secure, reliable, baseload and dispatchable source of electricity generation and a firm backbone for low carbon energy systems, complementing other zero- and low-emission energy sources. We recognize that the global development of nuclear energy is a shared objective with various pathways. Whether through the long-term operation programs, large-scale fleet renewals, and extension of nuclear programmes in countries already operating nuclear power plants, or the introduction of new nuclear power plants to the grids of newcomer nations we emphasize the value of strengthening international cooperation while respecting national sovereignty. By aligning national roadmaps with the highest levels of safety, security and non-proliferation, in accordance with the IAEA safety standards and security guidance, and supported by independent and adequately resourced national regulatory authorities, we aim to ensure that nuclear energy becomes a cornerstone of energy security for both nuclear operating and emerging nuclear nations alike, while recognizing that transparency and effective public engagement are essential to sustaining public confidence. 

3.    We are determined to do our utmost to fulfill this commitment in particular by enhancing cooperation with countries that opt to develop civil nuclear capacities to meet the increasing demand for electrification, and to support pathways toward a net-zero target. In that regard, we praise the recognition, at theCOP28 in Dubai, of nuclear energy as an essential component of a multifaceted and all-inclusive clean, just and equitable energy transition. In particular, we welcome the inclusion of nuclear energy in the outcome of the First Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement and welcome the Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy by 2050. 

4.    We recognize that efforts to triple global nuclear capacity by 2050 must be grounded in a responsible approach that prioritizes domestic consent based siting and advancement of long term waste management solutions at an international level through highest levels of safety, security, non proliferation, and ethical use of nuclear technology, in accordance with the IAEA safety standards and security guidance. 

5.    We call for greater inclusion of nuclear energy in the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) policies of relevant international financial institutions, particularly to ensure the inclusion of potential projects which are fully consistent with respective IAEA safeguards obligations, as well as the IAEA safety standards and security guidelines considering that it is one of the zero emission sources of power generation that can contribute substantially to decarbonize our societies and enhance a sustainable economic development. Recognizing the growing role of nuclear in energy transition, we also encourage multilateral development banks (MDB) and International Development Finance Club (IDFC) to advance a common taxonomy and explore financial instruments which would integrate nuclear energy into green finance.  

6.    We call upon relevant international organizations and institutions to support appropriate conditions for nuclear energy development. In particular, we encourage international financial institutions and regional organizations that have the mandate to do so to consider strengthening their support for capacity-building policy and financing nuclear energy projects and to support the establishment of a financial level playing field for all zero emission sources of energy generation, Recognizing the unique scale of nuclear projects, we advocate for robust risk-sharing mechanisms between the public and private sectors.

7.    To help bridge the investment gap, we call on relevant international financial institutions to consider developing frameworks to mobilize private capital where sovereign backing helps to mitigate early-stage risks and incentivize private finance stakeholders to participate, and we call on private actors to seize the momentum to finance these long-term, strategic energy projects. This partnership is essential to transform nuclear projects into valuable and profitable assets. 

8.    We commit to fully unlocking the potential of nuclear energy by taking measures such as enabling conditions to support and remove barriers to finance the construction of new nuclear power plants, the lifetime extension of existing nuclear reactors, and the development early deployment of advanced reactors, including small modular reactors, worldwide while maintaining the highest levels of safety, security and non-proliferation. We further emphasize that any new reactor projects or capacity expansions should fully apply relevant IAEA peer-review mechanisms, including site and external event assessments.

9.    In this drive for low carbon, diversified energy and innovation, we commit to support all participating countries, especially developing countries, which decided to add nuclear energy to their energy mixes consistent with their different national needs, priorities, pathways and create a more open, fair, and balanced environment for their development of nuclear energy, including its non-electrical applications and to continue to effectively implement respective IAEA safeguards obligations and safety standards and security guidelines.

10.    We encourage countries embarking on or expanding nuclear power programmes to establish and maintain strong, transparent and independent regulatory frameworks, ensuring robust oversight, sustained public engagement and confidence and full compliance with international safety, security and safeguards standards throughout the lifetime of nuclear facilities.

11.    We commit to continue our drive for technological innovation, further improving the operational performance, safety and economics of nuclear power plants, in particular the safety and restarting of long-term outage units, enhancing the resilience and security of the global nuclear energy industry and its supply chains, as well as contributing positively to local industrial and stakeholder engagement and capacity building plans, including in new and emerging nuclear countries. We also commit to consolidating international cooperation and sharing lessons learned and relevant knowledge in these fields.

12.    We commit to ensuring safe, secure and sustainable spent nuclear fuel management, radioactive waste management and disposal, assessing all viable options and technologies, in particular deep geological disposal, and decommissioning, including building decommissioning plans, radioactive waste and spent fuel management into the design of new nuclear projects. We call for an intensified collective effort on ensuring the security of energy supply and resilience of individual, regional, and multinational decarbonized energy resources. 

13.    Beyond traditional baseload electricity, we acknowledge the strategic role of innovative and advanced nuclear technologies in hard-to-abate sectors and demand-intensive industries, such as industrial and district heat, AI data centers, hydrogen production, desalination, to improve food security and support agriculture, or for medical treatments, provided they meet the highest levels of safety, security and non-proliferation.

14.    We reiterate the role of the IAEA as key enabler for cooperation in the nuclear field, including in promoting a strong and sustainable global framework for nuclear safety and security, and verifying adherence to respective safeguards obligations. In this regard, we stand ready to work with the IAEA to identify and provide the necessary resources needed for the fulfilment of these objectives, subject to the availability of funds and in accordance with any applicable domestic legal requirements. 

15.    We stress the role of the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Programme as a major mechanism in expanding and further accelerating access to nuclear technology, materials, equipment and expertise to member States for peaceful purposes and supporting them in building, strengthening and maintaining their capacity to use nuclear technology in a safe, secure and sustainable manner.

16.    We support enhancing efforts to facilitate mobilization of public investments, where appropriate, and private investments towards additional nuclear power projects. We emphasize that concrete measures in support of nuclear energy may include, as appropriate, tools such as direct public financing, public-private partnerships, guarantees to debt and equity providers, and schemes to share revenue and pricing risks. 

17.    Recognizing that availability of qualified human resources is vital to the continued safe, economic and secure utilization of all nuclear technologies for peaceful purposes we will ensure the future availability of skilled nuclear sector professionals. We will strive to contribute further to nuclear education and research, and we consider of the utmost importance to train and retain a large and motivated workforce. Investment in skills, including re-skilling, through education and research is critical for the whole value chain. 

18.    We welcome and support Member States in convening, in collaboration with the IAEA, another Nuclear Energy Summit in due course to maintain the momentum and continue building support for nuclear energy.